Mobile Communication Device and Method of Hibernating and Prebooting Same to Reduce Start Up Time

1. A method for reducing a boot time of a mobile communication device, the mobile communication device having a power button, the method comprising: while the mobile communication device is in an active mode, detecting actuation of the power button; entering a hibernate mode in which the mobile communication device is placed in a low power state so as to appear to be powered off, a volatile memory of the mobile communication device containing instruction code copied from a non-volatile memory of the mobile communication device is maintained in a powered state to preserve a last active state of the mobile communication device in the volatile memory, and a hibernate timer is commenced for timing a hibernate time period; monitoring the power button while in the hibernate mode; upon detection of actuation of the power button while in the hibernate mode, resuming the active mode in the last active state as preserved in the volatile memory, and upon expiration of the hibernate time period without prior detection of actuation of the power button, shutting off at least the volatile memory.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising: upon entering the hibernate mode, checking a remaining battery capacity of a battery of the mobile communication device; and setting the hibernate time period based on the remaining battery capacity.

3. The method of claim 2 , further comprising: while the volatile memory is shut off, detecting a scheduled start up time; pre-booting the mobile communication device by powering the volatile memory and the non-volatile memory; copying instruction code from the non-volatile memory to the volatile memory; initializing the mobile communication device in the hibernate mode; monitoring the power button while in the hibernate mode; and upon detection of actuation of the power button while in the hibernate mode resuming the active mode in the last active state as stored in the volatile memory.

4. The method of claim 3 , wherein copying instruction code is performed over a serial interface between the non-volatile memory and the volatile memory.

5. A method of pre-booting a mobile communication device having operating code stored in a non-volatile memory of the mobile communication device, the method comprising: detecting a scheduled start up time; powering a volatile memory of the mobile communication device responsive to detecting the scheduled start up time; copying instruction code from the non-volatile memory to the volatile memory subsequent to powering the volatile memory; initializing a hibernate mode of the mobile communication device subsequent to coping the instruction code; monitoring a power button of the mobile communication device while the mobile communication device is in the hibernate mode; upon detection of an actuation of the power button while in the hibernate mode commencing operation of the mobile communication device in an active mode corresponding to the instruction code; determining whether the mobile communication device has been in the hibernate mode for a hibernate time period; and if, prior to detection of actuation of the power button, the mobile communication device has been in the hibernate mode for the hibernate time period, shutting off at least the volatile memory.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising: upon entering the hibernate mode, checking a remaining battery capacity of a battery of the mobile communication device; and setting the hibernate time period based on the remaining battery capacity.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the scheduled start up time is provided by a user of the mobile communication device.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the scheduled start up time is determined based on a usage pattern of the mobile communication device.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the scheduled start up time is differentiated between weekdays and weekends.

10. The method of claim 5 , wherein copying instruction code is performed over a serial interface between the non-volatile memory and the volatile memory.

11. A method of reducing a start up time of a mobile communication device, the method comprising: while the mobile communication device is in an active mode, detecting a scheduled turn off time; upon detection of the scheduled turn off time, entering a hibernate mode in which the mobile communication device is placed in a low power state so as to appear to be powered off, a volatile memory of the mobile communication device containing instruction code copied from a non-volatile memory of the mobile communication device is maintained in a powered state to preserve a last active state of the mobile communication device in the volatile memory, and a hibernate timer is commenced for timing a hibernate time period; while in the hibernate mode and upon detection of one of a scheduled start up time and actuation of a power button of the mobile communication device, resuming the active mode in the last active state as preserved in the volatile memory; and upon expiration of the hibernate time period without prior detection of one of a scheduled start up time and actuation of the power button, shutting off at least the volatile memory.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising: determining the scheduled turn off time and the scheduled start up time based on a usage pattern of the mobile communication device.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the scheduled start up time and the scheduled turn off time are differentiated between weekdays and weekends.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the scheduled start up time and the scheduled turn off time are provided by a user of the mobile communication device.

15. The method of claim 11 , further comprising: upon entering the hibernate mode, checking a remaining battery capacity of a battery of the mobile communication device; and setting the hibernate time period based on the remaining battery capacity.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising: while the volatile memory is shut off, detecting an onset of the scheduled start up time; powering the volatile memory of the mobile communication device; copying instruction code from the non-volatile memory to the volatile memory; initializing the hibernate mode of the mobile communication device; commencing the hibernate timer for timing the hibernate time period; monitoring the power button while in the hibernate mode; if the power button is actuated while in the hibernate mode and prior to expiration of the hibernate period, commencing operation of the mobile communication device in an active mode; and if the hibernate timer expires before the power button is actuated, shutting off the volatile memory and placing the mobile communication device in an off mode.

17. A mobile communication device comprising: a power button; a non-volatile memory operable to store instruction code; a volatile memory operable to store the instruction code as copied from the non-volatile memory; and a controller operably coupled to the power button, the volatile memory and the non-volatile memory, the controller operable to: copy the instruction code from the non-volatile memory to the volatile memory while the mobile communication device is in an active mode, detect actuation of the power button while the mobile communication device is in the active mode, upon detection of actuation of the power button while the mobile communication device is in the active mode, cause the mobile communication device to enter a hibernate mode in which the mobile communication device is placed in a low power state so as to appear to be powered off, the volatile memory is maintained in a powered state to preserve a last active state of the mobile communication device, and a hibernate timer is commenced for timing a hibernate time period, monitor the power button while the mobile communication device is in the hibernate mode, upon detection of actuation of the power button while the mobile communication device is in the hibernate mode, resume the active mode in the last active state as preserved in the volatile memory, and upon expiration of the hibernate time period without prior detection of actuation of the power button, shut off at least the volatile memory.

18. The mobile communication device of claim 17 , further comprising a battery, wherein the controller is further operable to: check a remaining battery capacity of the battery; and set the hibernate time period based on the remaining battery capacity.